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Several recordings I'd ordered this month and last all arrived within the last few days. I started with the Idomeneo CD, which appealed to me because of the casting of Werner Krenn as Idamante and Sena Jurinac as Elettra. This is a live recording from the Vienna State Opera, 1971, and so far has been a mixed bag. It's different from previous recordings I have of this opera, particularly in the treatment of the chorus "Nettuno s'onori" which ends the first act. The solos have been cut, and an orchestral intermezzo substituted. Speaking of cuts -- both Idomeneo's "Vedrommi intorno" and Idamante's "Il padre adorato" are missing, much to my displeasure. Krenn is a wonderful, sweet-voiced Idamante, and I would have liked to hear him sing all of this role's music. Jurinac is a terrific Elettra; definitely better than the singers on my other two recordings. Waldamar Kmentt in the title role makes a much more favorable impression on me here than he did in his 1980s studio recording, with an attractively baritonal, spinto quality in his voice. Lisa Della Casa's Ilia is less impressive and sounds a bit long in the tooth. And all of these folks, with the exception of Jurinac, could stand a little improvement in their Italian diction. No "qvestas" or "qvellas," but I can hear Germanic vowels creeping in now and then.

Still, I'm glad I have the recording and am looking forward to listening to the second disk this evening.

My first of her solo albums. Great to have it, it has wonderfully recorded mad scene from I Puritani which makes it possible to listen to her performance of it out of that not very marvelous DVD she made as her only complete I Puritani recording.

The other broadcast of Met's recent L'Elisir than one I followed live. This time was even better - the other time I had impression that Kwiecień wasn't warmed up in his first scene, this time he was amazing from the beginning. And Flórez gave the encore of Una Furtiva Lagrima. I don't like encores of such arias that create particular atmosphere which can't be hold up for encore but I was very impressed that he managed to sing it diffrently, he even added some improvised (I guess) variations in the end, what a man. If not the audience sounds (including phone ringing for a sec in last scene) I could belive it's studio recording - such perfection and purity.

Very pretty. Kaufmann sounded wonderful and did his best with an unsympathetic role (what is Maurizio up to, smooth-talking creep?). Gheorghiu looked lovely, sounded pretty good and played la Gheorghiu to perfection (for once, not too far from the requirements of the role). When I see these two together they look fantastic but I cannot ever believe in more than a slightly cool professional relationship between them. I've never seen such tightly clamped-shut lips in a stage kiss.

The cherry on top was Alessandro Corbelli as Michonnet (actually my favourite character). It was great to hear Borodina but she really can't act at all, can she, makes Gheorghiu look like Sarah Bernhart.

Very pretty. Kaufmann sounded wonderful and did his best with an unsympathetic role (what is Maurizio up to, smooth-talking creep?). Gheorghiu looked lovely, sounded pretty good and played la Gheorghiu to perfection (for once, not too far from the requirements of the role). When I see these two together they look fantastic but I cannot ever believe in more than a slightly cool professional relationship between them. I've never seen such tightly clamped-shut lips in a stage kiss.

The cherry on top was Alessandro Corbelli as Michonnet (actually my favourite character). It was great to hear Borodina but she really can't act at all, can she, makes Gheorghiu look like Sarah Bernhart.

Have also been enjoying my copy of this video. Jonas K. and Gheorghiu sound and look gorgeous; agree that Borodina sounds marvelous, but really comes across as quite a frump. One can easily believe that Maurizio's supposed interest in her is feigned and designed only to further his political ambitions. Costumes are impressive (that first act with the actresses in various stages of undress would probably send Alma's Boob-o-Meter soaring ).

I'm going to see Robert le diable & have started my homework as I don't know the work at all. There are only two recordings to choose from (there's an Italian version but I don't want that one) & both are live. I'm listening to this at the moment & really struggling with it - the quality of the recording is so poor.

I wish there was a DVD.

"Every theatre is an insane asylum, but an opera theatre is the ward for the incurables."

FRANZ SCHALK, attributed, Losing the Plot in Opera: Myths and Secrets of the World's Great Operas